可以有把握地想象，二千年前，当凯撒到达不 列颠南部之前，从我正在写作的这间屋子的窗 口，可以看到整个原野是一种所谓“自然状 态”。
赫胥黎独处一室之中【 the room in which I write 】，在英伦之南【 in southern Britain 】，背山而面野。槛外诸境【 the whole country-side visible from the windows of the room 】，历历如在几下。乃悬想二千 年前【 two thousand years ago 】，当罗马列 大将恺彻未到时【 before Caesar set foot 】， 此间有何景物【in what】。计（计，猜想）惟 有天造草昧（昧，遮盖，蒙蔽），人功未施 【 "the state of nature." 】。
…and the thin veil of vegetation（植物，草木， 植被） 【which overspread the broad-backed heights and the shelving（斜坡） sides of the coombs（BrE 峡谷，峡谷）】 was unaffected by his industry.
Except, it may be, by raising a few sepulchral[阴沉的；阴森森的] mounds[冈峦， 小丘], 【such as those which still, here and there, break the flowing contours[轮廓线] of the downs[尤指英格兰南部有草丘陵地，有草 开阔高低]】, man's hands had made no mark upon的斜坡， 还没有受到人的劳动的影响。
而灌木丛林【the thin veil of vegetation】 ， 蒙茸（动词）山麓【which overspread the broad-backed heights and the shelving sides of the coombs】 ，未经删治如今日者，则无 疑也【 was unaffected by his industry. 】。
也许除了若干突起的坟墓已在几处破坏了连绵 的丘陵的轮廓以外，此地未经人工修葺整治。
其借征人境者【 Except, it may be；man's hands had made no mark upon it 】，不过几 处荒坟【by raising a few sepulchral mounds】 ，散见(现) 【here and there】坡陀 起伏间【flowing contours of the downs】。
严复《天演论》 翻译对比
IT may be safely assumed that,【 two thousand years ago】, 【before Caesar set foot in southern Britain】, the whole country-side 【visible from the windows of the room】 【in which I write】, was in what is called "the state of nature.“